


The Tide Is Turning

by ilya



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:28:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21820963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilya/pseuds/ilya
Summary: “Sansa, there were many reasons behind our marriage. I am aware of yours and you are aware of mine. Yours are no longer valid. Mine have multiplied. Even so, I am not the kind of man who would enjoy a marriage to a woman who only stays in it out of pity. If there is no reason for you to stay in this marriage other than your kind inclination to keep my family and I safe, I just wanted to let you know that I will not hold it against you if you speak honestly to your cousin and his betrothed.”
Relationships: Sansa Stark/Willas Tyrell
Comments: 20
Kudos: 170





	1. In Which A Raven Comes For Sansa

**Author's Note:**

> ...because there are way too few Sansa/Willas fics out there.

The raven came for her. For the first time in ages, someone attempted to communicate to her, rather than to her husband about her.

Willas had told her that Jon was elected King in the North. That he bent the knee to Daenerys Targaryen. That they were working on invading King’s Landing.

What the letter told her was that they won. That Arya and Bran were alive. That Jon was not a bastard, but the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen. That he was marrying Daenerys and they would rule together. 

And that they were taking their dragons and flying to Highgarden the next day.

A shockingly short letter considering the amount of information it contained.

She felt the need to sit down and stare at the wall for a few long minutes before trying to figure out what that meant for her.

***

Willas was waiting in his study, as he had mentioned he would after giving her the letter that had come for her. There was no clue that her letter had been opened, yet she was under the impression that he knew what it was all about.

She knocked gently and waited for a second before going in. He was sitting down behind his desk but didn’t seem to be doing anything. She could not read his mood, but she could guess that he was not happy. Which, considering that Margaery was the queen of the recently deposed king, was not really a surprise.

Sansa sat down in front of the desk.

“They are coming tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“I… I don’t know how…” she could not find the words.

“They are coming to ask you about our marriage.”

Her eyes went wide. She had not thought about that. Although, in retrospect, it was reasonable to assume that.

“I…”

“The reason I asked you to come talk about this was because I wanted to let you know that, as far as I am concerned, the answer to that question is totally in your hands.”

“I don’t follow. We are married. What other answer can I give?”

“Our marriage was not consummated. I doubt your b… cousin will request any type of check, but if you tell him that, that will be enough grounds for annulment.”

“Do you wish to have our marriage annulled?”

“My wishes on the matter are of no consequence. You are no longer without a place to go. You have a family in Winterfell and a cousin who is to be king. Your road is open in front of you and Highgarden is not the only path available anymore. I wanted to tell you that the path you take is your choice entirely.”

She could not describe how she felt other than dumbfounded.

“I am aware of the fact that when you agreed to marry me, it was not for my sake or even for Highgarden’s sake. You agreed to marry me because the other options on the table were far worse. Now you have other options.”

She felt like someone or something had sucked all the air out of the room.

“Milord… “ He threw her a look that she could not decipher. “What will happen to you and Margaery… and the rest of your family… if this marriage gets annulled?”

He looked at his hands and seemed to choose his words carefully.

“That depends on the new king and queen. From what you told me of your family in general and him in particular, I doubt he would feel inclined to be unnecessarily…” he coughed. “…vengeful towards our family. As for Daenerys, she may look back at the time before Robert Baratheon and remember that the Tyrells were staunch allies of the Targaryens for a very long time.”

“…but if you are married to the king’s cousin, the chances of the king and queen being inclined to forgive your alliance with the Lannisters are higher.”

“That is probably correct.”

“And the chances of Margaery being safe are also higher.”

“Also correct.”

There was a long pause.

“Sansa, there were many reasons behind our marriage. I am aware of yours and you are aware of mine. Yours are no longer valid. Mine have multiplied. Even so, I am not the kind of man who would enjoy a marriage to a woman who only stays in it out of pity. If there is no reason for you to stay in this marriage other than your kind inclination to keep my family and I safe, I just wanted to let you know that I will not hold it against you if you speak honestly to your cousin and his betrothed.”

She felt tears forming behind her eyes, but refused to let him see them. She got up abruptly and headed towards the door.

“Thank you for letting me know, milord” she said with a trembling voice as she left his study.

***

She went through a dozen moods in the minute it took her to reach their quarters. 

The Tyrells were allies of the Lannisters but they had saved her. When Tywin Lannister announced his intention to marry her to the Imp, they had argued quite cleverly to get her out of it and married to Willas. Since the marriage, she had had a nice and comfortable life as Lady of The Reach (she was not technically that, but Mace Tyrell and his wife spent most of their time in King’s Landing, so she and Willas were effectively ruling).

Willas Tyrell was the kind of man she had once envisioned she would marry (except for his bad leg, but it really was not that bad). Dignified, noble, kind to his subjects. Despite not being overly social, he was a popular ruler. And by his side, she also felt like the people of the Reach had gotten to love her. She had done her best to be up to the task, and she thought she had succeeded quite admirably.

With one exception.

On their wedding night, Willas had informed her that she need not worry about him rushing her into the marriage bed. At that time, coming after Joffrey, she had felt nothing but relief. But with time, when her fear of marriage had diminished and her desire to turn hers into a real one grew, she started wondering if maybe Willas’ kindness on their wedding night was not actually lack of interest towards her as a wife. 

Her marriage was a lot like what she dreamed of, except there were no laughing children following her everywhere. And her husband, while being quite what she had wanted in a man, was not taking their relationship anywhere beyond a platonic camaraderie. He had no problem sharing with her burdens of government, he trusted her to fulfil her role as his wife in every sense of the way except in the marriage bed.

And now he had informed her that she was free to annul their marriage.

There was only one problem: she had reasons other than pity to stay married to him.

She loved him. 


	2. In which Jon gets a definite answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An offer is on the table.

Jon had had quite a lot of changes in his life, but nothing could quite beat his past year.

He was killed and then brought to life.

He had defeated the Boltons and gained back the North. Had seen Rickon die in the battle.

He had been elected king of the North.

Arya and Bran had turned up in Winterfell.

He started to prepare for a fight with the Others. Found out Dragonstone had supplies of dragonglass.

Went to request the assistance of the Dragon Queen who had occupied the fortress.

Found out he was Ned Stark’s legitimate Targaryen nephew instead of his bastard son.

Daenerys suggested a marriage alliance. He found himself accepting with more enthusiasm than he expected (since the marriage was mostly suggested as a political solution).

They beat the Others. They beat the Lannisters.

A half-brother that everyone thought dead turned up alive.

And now he would be king of Westeros.

Daenerys had said that she didn’t think she would have children. Aegon was going to be heir and he would have to start a new line. And for that he needed a wife.

Arya was suggested, but Jon knew better than to inflict this on her. Whatever wildness she had had in her before Ned died, it had multiplied by thousands during the time she was out of reach.

Daenerys then suggested Sansa. Of course, she was married to Willas Tyrell, but she probably didn’t have much say in that, as it was done when she was a prisoner of the Lannisters and given as prize to their allies, the Tyrells. There were no children and since he knew that Sansa had wanted a big family, he could only guess that the reason for that was the lack of trying, which suggested the marriage wasn’t happy.

And of course the Tyrells needed to be punished somehow. They had not been directly involved in any of the Lannister atrocities, but they had supported them and that was enough to warrant punishment.

And Sansa would be queen. Which was what she’d always wanted.

***

His first thought as he came off his dragon and greeted Sansa and her husband was that Willas Tyrell seemed… nice. Jon thought he was not as attractive as Margaery or Loras, but he looked quite dignified. None of the ambition that seemed to shine through Margaery was obvious in him. He had none of his grandmother’s snark. And yet he didn’t seem as dimwitted as his father.

For reasons that he could not name, Jon started having qualms about the plans in motion from pretty much the first handshake. Sansa did not look miserable. She seemed a bit apprehensive, but it seemed to be more towards him rather than her husband.

Which he supposed was normal considering that they hadn’t seen each other in years and she hadn’t been very nice to him before that.

“Jon” she curtsied. “I was happy to hear of your victories. It is good to know that the North is free of the Boltons at last and that all wars are finally over. This kingdom needs peace.”

Then she turned towards Daenerys who greeted her with a smile.

“It is nice to finally meet you, Sansa. I have heard a lot about you.”

“And I of you, my Queen. You honor us with your presence.”

“Lord Willas” Daenerys greeted, with less warmth in her voice. If Willas noticed, he didn’t show.

“My Queen” He bent his good knee, putting his bad leg in an awkward position. Daenerys signaled him to rise.

“I have heard that you breed horses, Lord Willas.”

“I do.”

“I spent a lot of time with the Dothraki and believe myself to be quite an expert in horses as a result. Would you mind showing me your stables?”

Sansa seemed surprised by the request, but Willas just nodded his head and offered Daenerys his arm.

Before they left, Jon caught a look between the two spouses. Willas smiled at his wife. Sansa smiled back, but her smile seemed to not reach her eyes. Then she turned back towards him.

“Jon. Are you hungry? Tired? Would you care for some refreshments?”

“No, thank you. It is good to see you. I just wanted to talk and… see how you are” his voice came out a bit more strained than he would have wished.

“Would you like to walk in the greenhouses? There’s a section there that I have full control of and I used to try to plant some flowers from the North. As much as I could remember. Unfortunately back when I was in the North, I didn’t pay as much attention as I should have.”

Jon smiled.

“That sounds great.”

***

The greenhouse seemed lovely. Jon was no expert in flowers, but he could recognize some of the wildness of the North.

“Jon, before you go on, I wanted to apologize. I was… I was not nice to you when we were in Winterfell.”

“You need not worry about that, Sansa. We were children.”

“I have come to regret it since. I regretted it long before I heard you were my aunt’s son.”

Jon had no doubt she was telling the truth. It had been a long time, though, and he was sincerely not bothered by it.

“And I have been over it long before now.”

Sansa smiled.

Jon knew what he had to ask. But he didn’t know how or where to start.

“How do you like Highgarden?” He decided to start small.

“You know I have always dreamed of marrying a Southern lord. Even before I came here I heard that the Reach was the most beautiful of the Seven Kingdoms. I have not seen them all, but I have come to believe that it is correct nevertheless.”

She paused.

“Back when I was young and dreamed of going South, I didn’t think I’d miss the North. I do. More than I ever thought I would. And now that it is in our family again, I would like to go back and see it. But that doesn’t stop me from loving Highgarden.”

“I only heard of your marriage quite late. Around the time we took Winterfell. I believe you had already been married for quite some time at that point.”

“I was married three years ago. I heard you took Winterfell last year.”

“You heard about that?”

“Willas keeps me up to date with everything going on in the Seven Kingdoms. He would have told me no matter what, I am sure, but since it was you… he was in Oldtown when he found out and he sent me a raven to let me know.”

“He informs you of developments?”

“Yes. We did not leave the Reach since we married, but we need to keep track of events… in case they come to us.”

“Would you have liked to leave the Reach?”

“Just for the North, but until now that was not possible. Even after you took Winterfell, there was the question of the Lannisters.” Sansa coughed. “Willas suggested we could go by sea, but I think he himself knew that that was not a realistic idea.”

“He suggested you go to Winterfell while the Lannisters were still in power?!”

“Yes.”

Jon didn’t know how to interpret that.

Sansa took a deep breath and grabbed his arm with a determined move.

“Jon, I know you came to ask me about my marriage so I will just come out and say it: I have no reason to complain. Yes, when I married, the choice was between Willas and…” she swallowed as if suddenly remembering that Tyrion was now the Hand of the Queen. “…a Lannister. Obviously there was not much choice there. But even as such, I have had no reason to regret it since. The Tyrells have been kind to me. All of them. My husband most of all. We have been effectively ruling the Reach, since Mace Tyrell has been appointed to the King’s Council and therefore was unable to spend time here. I like it. I am good at it. My people love me… they love us.”

Jon had no reason to doubt her words.

“I would also like to tell you that just like there must always be a Stark in the North, there must be a Tyrell in Highgarden. I understand that you can’t just let the alliance with the Lannisters slide, but if you name another lord in the Reach, there will be trouble. And, I am hoping that since I am married to Willas, that will make you more inclined to keep him where he is. He personally was never involved with the Lannisters. His bad leg prevented him from attending most of the King’s Landing events, and even if it hadn’t, once he married me, he wouldn’t go because I wouldn’t go.”

“Sansa…”

“You must also consider that at the time of the alliance, the Lannisters seemed to have all the power. And the Tyrells needed to think of the Reach most of all. Had they rebelled, who would have helped them? Dorne and the Reach have always been at odds. Robb was too far away to be able to help even if he wanted it. The Eyrie and Riverlands were weak and also could not help. Their stance may not have been as courageous as the North’s, but you must admit it was for the best of the people of the Reach. It is one of the few areas not touched by war.”

He sighed. Sansa’s defense of the Tyrells grew in power with each word. She believed what she was saying.

“What about Margaery?”

“Margaery is the one that came up with the idea of the marriage. For that alone, I want her to be safe.”

“That idea was not for your sake.”

“I am aware of that. But nobody who wanted to marry me, wanted it JUST for my sake. I am Ned Stark’s daughter, I have a claim in the North, and that will never change. Bran will probably not have children, so that still reverts the claim back to me. Now and forever, marrying me means marrying a claim to the North.”

The wide-eyed ingénue that dreamt of marrying a prince was gone. Sansa seemed to have grown up to be relatively pragmatic.

“More than your claim to the North, Margaery was interested in being queen.”

“Considering that the king at the time was Joffrey, I was more than happy to give her that title.”

“What if a less… demented king, was to be on offer?”

Sansa stopped in her tracks.

“Sansa, I can see that you are attached to the Tyrells and the Reach, and I believe that you are being sincere and not just afraid to speak your mind.” For a second, Sansa had an odd look on her face, but it went away as quickly as it came. “But I cannot go before telling you what is on the table.”

He breathed in.

“Daenerys is convinced she will not have children. Some witch told her that. I am more skeptical about such things, but I have had encounters with witches and they are not all shams. As such, my half-brother Aegon stands to inherit. And he needs a queen.”

“No.”

He nodded.

“OK. You can stay married to Willas Tyrell. I just didn’t want to leave without telling you, in case that makes a difference.”

“It doesn’t.”

“OK. Now we are done with the serious topics. Tell me about the Reach.”

Sansa smiled sincerely for the first time and enthusiastically started speaking of flowers and horses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mixed events from the books and the series, specifically to put quite an advantageous offer on the table for Sansa.


	3. In which Daenerys is reconsidering her decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daenerys still cannot quite make up her mind about the Tyrells

Daenerys had regretted some of the choices she made in life (the witch that killed Drogo still haunted her dreams) but still she trusted her instinct enough to not doubt herself much when she made one.

But she was starting to doubt her first instinct when it came to the Tyrells.

She had made up her mind about them way before she met them. And with that mind made up, she ignored Usurper Queen Margaery’s overtures (she had to give it to her, she was good at seeming the nicest person in the world and despite the Lannisters’ general cruelty, she had managed to keep her image intact and was extremely popular with the common folk – which was one of the reasons Daenerys could not afford to be too punitive towards her). She dismissed Mace Tyrell almost instantly – the man was either a complete fool or perfectly acting like one. She was pretty sure the head of the Tyrells was truly Olenna, but the old goat was sick so that was a problem that was solving itself.

But Willas Tyrell had managed to make her doubt herself after 30 minutes of walking around stables and enthusiastically talking about his horses. He was obviously passionate on the subject, Daenerys was pretty sure THAT was not an act. He seemed to be genuinely curious about Dothraki habits and how they bred they horses, which was something that amazed her considering the fact that even some of her closest advisors, like Jorah, who had been with her during her Dothraki years, still couldn’t seem to shake their disregard for Dothraki traditions.

“The Dothraki are… different from us in just about every way” she admitted. “But there are still things we can learn from them. And they can be very loyal, once that loyalty is gained.”

“I confess to not having much knowledge on the subject. But what I have read leads me to believe that at least on the subject of horses, they are quite the experts.”

“They have to be. Their entire lifestyle revolves around horses.”

“How do you think that will be reconciled with being in Westeros?”

She wondered for a few moments whether or not true honesty was advised when talking to a Tyrell.

“The Dothraki are free people, they are not my subjects and definitely not my slaves. They are free to leave Westeros, if this is what they want. It is, of course, too soon to judge yet, but so far I have not heard any of them complaining about being here. I like to think I would if they did.”

Willas nodded as he was absently grooming the horse next to him. Daenerys decided to approach a different subject.

“Slightly related… your wife is also in a different environment than she was used to.”

He chuckled.

“It’s not quite the same level of difference, I would think. Although I have never been to the North, so I might be mistaken.”

“Do you think she adapted well to the Reach?”

“I would say so. She is very popular here and oftentimes people come to her rather than me with their problems.”

“Some rulers might not like the idea of their consort being more popular than them.”

“My… um, consort’s… role is to be my partner. If she is popular, that also reflects on me. It’s a good thing.”

“Your sister was a popular queen. That didn’t make the Lannisters less hated. Some would say it had quite the opposite effect”

He seemed to not have an answer to that.

“What were your feelings on the Lannister alliance, Lord Tyrell?”

“We didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, Your Grace.”

“One would think that with an army as big as yours, your choices were not as limited as you say.”

“The Riverlands fought and managed to resist the Lannisters since King Robert died. I would not be so sure to say, though, that it has been good for them. They are now completely destroyed. Many people died. Crops were destroyed. It will take years, maybe more, before life is back to normal over there. The Reach is still functioning as normal, despite the war. Would you say the Tullys did right by their people?”

“The North rebelled. Armies would have had to go through the Riverlands to get to the North, no matter what. And the Lannisters were not considerate towards the people of King’s Landing, who had not rebelled… what makes you think they would have cared about not destroying the Riverlands anyway, even if they bent the knee?”

“I do not know that, Your Grace. But I do know that the Lannisters would have had no reason to come to the Reach and destroy it without a rebellion. My people can lead their normal lives thanks to this alliance.”

“…and yet other people’s lives were destroyed because of this alliance.”

“There is no perfect decision in life. But my people would not have appreciated being sacrificed for the good of the Riverlands.”

“Maybe if you had joined the rebellion, the Lannisters would have lost sooner and therefore they would not have been a threat.”

“The Lannisters are rich. If they have no armies, they can buy sellswords.”

“That didn’t help when I invaded.”

“We are not all so fortunate to have command of dragons.”

Despite herself, Daenerys found herself liking Willas. He was as calm and polite as his siblings, but there was more honesty to him.

“Your marriage was your reward for the alliance, was it not? I understand your family had to push a great deal to make it come true.”

“Lord Tywin wanted to marry Sansa to Lord Tyrion. My family convinced him otherwise.”

“While I am fond of my Hand, I can understand how Lady Sansa would prefer you to him. But I might ask, with the North inaccessible due to rebellion, what was the gain for you in this marriage?”

“Lady Sansa is a beautiful woman of impeccable birth. I am sure you are aware that since my… um, accident… such women were no longer so open to marrying me. As the heir, I could not marry beneath my station, and yet as a cripple it was not easy to do otherwise. Also, rebellions end at some point. One way or another.”

“And had it ended with a Stark victory, this marriage would have kept you safe.”

Willas smiled but did not deny the statement.

“Just like now, with your wife’s cousin betrothed to the Queen, you are less likely to be punished for being on the losing side.”

Willas kept on grooming his horse, not providing any reply. The corners of his mouth twitched for a second, but other than that there was no reaction.

“It is very easy to annul a marriage that has no children, Lord Tyrell.”

He stayed silent, but as the corners of his mouth twitched again, Daenerys got the impression that he was not happy with the direction the conversation was taking.

“What do you think your wife would think about the possibility of annulling the marriage?”

“I cannot speak for my wife.”

“You have been married for… years…”

“Three years.”

“You must have at least an idea on what she thinks of your marriage.”

“Even if I did, I still cannot speak for her.”

She looked at him pointedly until he turned to look at her.

“What is YOUR opinion of this marriage, Lord Tyrell?”

“I could not ask for a better wife, Your Grace” he replied without hesitation while looking her straight in the eye but refused to offer anything else.

***

She and Jon were given quarters to rest before dinner.

“She does not want to annul the marriage.” Jon said almost as soon as they were behind closed doors. “She was, in fact, extremely adamant about it, even after I mentioned Aegon and the possibility of being queen. And she launched into quite an enthusiastic defense of the Tyrells.”

Daenerys sat down by the window, admiring a beautiful view of the gardens.

“I think we will need to find another bride for Aegon. Are you sure Arya is not an option?”

“I can mention it to her but I will not force her. And for Arya being queen is a downside, not an incentive.”

She laughed.

“I think the punishment for the Tyrells will have to be not annulling Margaery’s marriage to Tommen. As he is a bastard, he does not stand to inherit anything, so that will be quite a fall. But I admit to being… reluctant… to punish Lord Tyrell.”

Jon sat down next to her.

“What did you think of him?”

“I think he will make an appropriate Lord of the Reach. He has in fact been acting as such for years now. I am almost tempted to behead his father. That would count as punishment AND would make him Lord faster. Although I get the feeling Lord Tyrell might not be as enthusiastic about this solution as other sons would be in his position.”

“Did you speak of Sansa?”

“Yes. He did not deny that it helps him stay safe from retaliation. But I am not sure this is all there is to it. Although I have to wonder about the lack of heirs.”

She turned towards him and smiled:

“In our world, marriages are made for political reasons. Yet, it is not quite that uncommon for them to not stay purely political. I understand your uncle and aunt were quite fond of each other.”

“Do you think Lord Tyrell is fond of Sansa?”

“From what you tell me, I think SHE is fond of HIM. And I don’t think she would be, had he not been a good husband.”

“What would you suggest?”

“I suggest we don’t leave after dinner, as we initially planned. I am sure you would like to spend more time getting reacquainted with your cousin. And I need more time to decide what to do with the Tyrells.”


	4. In which Sansa speaks her mind

Sansa had not experienced this amount of torment since she had seen her father beheaded. Even Joffrey’s torture after that seemed muted compared to the conflicting emotions that were all raging through her. Not that it had been in any way pleasant to be tortured by Joffrey, but she had come to expect it and was used to it. Then she had come to Highgarden and acclimated to the relative calmness, slow pace and sweet smell of roses. Now the whole whirlwind of politics and intrigues was hitting her again.

Before she had time to settle, Willas came into the room. He grunted some sort of greeting that she did not understand and very ungraciously sat down across from her. He also seemed troubled.

“How was the Queen?”

He lifted his eyebrows as if surprised by her question, despite it being completely natural considering where he was coming from.

“She was… not subtle. How was your conversation with your cousin?”

“Also… not subtle. You were right about the reason they came here”

“I know I was.”

The silence seemed to weigh heavily between them and yet Sansa did not know how to summarize her conversation with Jon.

“Are you leaving?” He decided to ask after a few minutes.

“No.” She wanted to give a less dry reply but she did not know how. In the end, she decided on: “They even had a husband lined up for me. Because of course the one thing I need right now is for another politically advantageous marriage to a man I don’t know”

She realized almost instantly that that comment could also apply to THEIR marriage but she did not know how to take it back.

“Who?”

“Aegon Targaryen”

He chuckled and almost instantly, it turned into a laughter that could only be described as hysterical.

“You turned down a royal?”

“Joffrey taught me a long time ago that marrying a royal is no guarantee of a good marriage.”

“I sincerely doubt your cousin would have suggested this marriage had he had any suspicion of Aegon Targaryen being anything close to Joffrey.”

“He may not be a violent brute, but there are different ways of having a bad marriage.”

He did not reply to that. Sansa wished he would just look at her so she could understand exactly what was going through his mind. She had never seen him the way he was now and she was wondering what was causing it. She liked to think it was the fear of losing her, but it could also be very easily the fear of losing a guarantee of safety for himself and his family. She decided to be brave for once:

“I don’t intend to sit around and wait while they keep plotting to marry me to whomever is convenient for them. Next time they may not ask and I am done going where other people’s political plots take me. I want to stay in Highgarden.”

He finally looked at her but she could not decipher his look. She lost a little bit of her courage: “Assuming that you agree with that… of course.” she mumbled.

“I think we both agreed it is in my best interest to stay married to you.”

That was not quite the reply she was hoping for. She frustratingly got up and started pacing around the room.

“I can only see one way for us to prevent this from happening again.” He was watching her with curiosity, as she stopped right in front of him decidedly: “We have to have a child.”

She could still not decipher his look, but she was pretty sure she had never been so red in her life. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it. Then he scratched his head with an awkward move. Then he chuckled. Then he looked at her but still did not speak. 'Please say something' her mind screamed. Willas seemed conflicted.

She sat down next to him and he looked unsurely at her: “Now?”

Sansa puffed in exasperation: “Soon. I am 16, I am no longer a child, so unless there is something that is completely repulsive about me, I honestly don’t see what is stopping you anymore.”

“I am not sure you are in the right state of mind now to… make children” the tips of his ears turned red and he seemed to have trouble finding something to look at.

Something broke inside of her and suddenly years of frustration burst out of her: “What is the right state I need to be in for you to even consider…” she threw her hands up in frustration. “I have been told I am easy to look at, some even used the word ‘beautiful’! I know that not everyone has the same desires so… is there something specific and out of the ordinary that you need?!”

The redness spread from the tip of his ears to his entire face. “My specific desire is… willingness… on both sides…”

“You are the most exasperating man I have ever met! What is wrong with you?! I am sitting right here, in front of you, I have for years! If that was not clear enough, I am ASKING. What do I need to do? Rip my clothes off? Would that express the willingness you seek?! Or is your willingness that is the problem?”

“I… uh… “

A knock on the door interrupted him as a maid informed them that dinner was ready. Willas got up and walked out with a quickness that Sansa did not remember ever seeing in him. She followed him and watched his composure slowly come back to him as he was walking to the dining hall.

***

The dinner was an awkward affair, at best. Sansa had lost her appetite. Willas was stubbornly quiet. Jon seemed to sense tension and ate in silence. Daenerys attempted some conversation but was met with grunted one-word replies and gave up.

Sansa refused to look at anyone. She was angry with Daenerys because she was sure marriage to Aegon had been her idea. She was angry with Jon for agreeing with it. She was angry with Willas for everything. The tension was bubbling into her and she had more wine than usual in an attempt to calm herself, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. In the end, it got to be too much. She abruptly got up.

“I am sorry; I am not feeling well tonight. I need to retire. Your Grace…” she did a rushed curtsy in Daenerys’ direction and bolted out of the room.

She was fast but someone was faster. Jon grabbed her hand and stopped her.

“I am sorry.” He said just after she stopped. “From the outside it looked like you were trapped in a marriage you did not want. I did not realize that was not the case until I came here and talked to you.”

“Well, at least you asked. Before this, others made plans for me and no-one asked for my opinion.”

“Yet, somehow, one of those plans worked.” She smiled despite herself. She did not know how to explain everything to Jon.

“You seem to get along well with Daenerys.”

“We… understand each other. She believed me about The Others when few did. She helped me. She genuinely wants to do good. There are few of which I can say the same.”

“You like her.”

He smiled shyly. “Surprisingly, I do.” Then he looked at her: “And you like Willas.”

“Unsurprisingly, I do”. Jon chuckled. “You can’t possibly be surprised, Jon. My desires as a girl were not a secret and anyone who knew me back then will see how Willas would match those desires.”

“Now that I have met him, yes, I see that. Did you tell him about our conversation?”

“Yes.”

“How did he react?”

“I… don’t know how to answer this question. He wasn’t happy, he wasn’t angry… it was confusing.”

“Daenerys said he didn’t seem pleased when she mentioned annulling your marriage.”

“Well, yes, I am sure he wasn’t, I mean, it’s not just about me and him. It’s also about Margaery and his father, and his entire family, and the Reach.”

“Do you think it’s just about that?”

“I don’t know, Jon. It’s definitely not just about the Reach for me. Not that I do not like being Lady of the Reach, it’s quite what I needed: not queenship so not a cesspool of intrigue, but high enough that I am satisfied. A land that is beautiful and peaceful, people who love me and accept me. And a Lord at my side that I… like.”

The cane noise interrupted their talk. Jon and Sansa waited as Willas and Daenerys reached them. Daenerys smiled at them:

“Lady Sansa, I apologized to your husband and I will now apologize to you. I should never have presumed to come between a man and a wife united in the sight of the Gods. I have learned my lesson. You can trust me to listen to my subjects before making decisions in their name from now on.”

Sansa looked at Willas. He seemed perfectly composed again.

“It is of no matter, Your Grace. As I was telling Jon, unlike others, you asked and did not command. This is already an improvement as far as I am concerned.”

“Well then, I will leave you to retire. I hope you will feel better tomorrow.” Daenerys nodded at Jon who promptly offered his arm.

Left alone, Sansa and Willas stared awkwardly at each other. After a few long moments, he offered his arm and they started walking slowly towards their quarters.

“I am sorry; I was… taken by surprise… by our conversation… earlier”. He said with great difficulty.

“Why?”

“Honestly, I thought you would want to leave. I was so convinced that you were staying here because you had no other place to go that I never considered you might actually want to stay…” He paused for a few seconds. “For many years after my accident, the matches that were offered to me were so far beneath my station that I jumped at the chance of marrying you, quite sure of the fact that no other similar opportunity will ever be available to me. However, I knew you were marrying me out of necessity and that… I was shrewd enough to marry you, but not… “ Long pause. “I did not want to force my way into your bed.”

“There’s a long time since you coming to my bed would have required any force.”

“I did not know that.”

“Now you know.”

They entered their quarters and stopped. The air was thick with tension, which was ironic considering they had just tried to clear it.

She could hear Willas’ breath next to her. What was she expected to do? She had told him he was welcome. What was he waiting for? She turned her face towards him and was surprised to meet his eyes. Sansa made an effort to keep looking at him, despite all of her instincts telling her to turn her head.

After what felt like an entire hour, Willas made up his mind and kissed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I am not good at anything resembling smut so, assuming anyone is eagerly awaiting for the next chapter with such hopes, this will be a lights fading sort of thing.
> 
> 2\. Willas, having never appeared in the show or in the book really, is a tough character to crack and physically the image I have of him changes with the story I read. For this particular story, this image has morphed into something resembling Tom Burke. Assuming some of you have watched The Musketeers or Strike, the characters he plays in those shows are quite similar to the type of temperament Willas has in this story. Strike even has a bad leg, so the resemblance continues.


	5. In which important decisions are made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know, it's been a while.
> 
> For most of my friends, lockdown was a chance to catch up with what was on the to do list
> 
> For me, this meant an extremely longer to do list and things that were on it had to be left out.
> 
> It's been absolute chaos and it doesn't look like the end is in sight, so with all apologies, I cannot guarantee that I will post the next chapter soon. I can only assure you that I have every intention to finish this story.
> 
> On the same note, I usually read my new chapters five times before hitting the Publish button. This was not the case this time, so please forgive if some things have slipped my radar.

The night was ending and slowly light was starting to make its way through the window. Somewhere in the distance, some birds were singing.

Sansa was lying in bed, trying to convince herself to sleep, but somehow knowing she would not. Willas’ arm was casually placed on her arm. He seemed to be fast asleep, but she did not have the courage to check. She could feel his breath on her shoulder.

It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. The curtains were shaking slightly from the wind.

A feeling of warmth overcame her and she smiled to herself. Before she had time to think things through, she took Willas’ arm and hugged it. The arm tightened around her almost instantly and suddenly her heart rate went full speed. Was he awake?

She turned to face him. Through the dim light of the morning, she noticed his eyes half-open. The corner of his mouth quirked up into a groggy smile.

They stared at each other for a long time, with the cheerful chirp of the birds in the background, as the sun rose higher and higher.

Willas pulled her closer and started kissing her again.

***

At breakfast, the atmosphere was the opposite of the previous dinner. Sansa was almost giddy and couldn’t stop herself from chatting. Daenerys responded in kind, while Jon watched, seeming slightly amused. Willas was mostly quiet, but he seemed serene and his presence was welcoming.

It all came to a halt when Daenerys announced unexpectedly:

“Lord Tyrell, I have spent my night wondering about the Reach and its fate. It is a complicated situation – you are married to my husband’s cousin, you are well loved in the region and so is your wife, yet your father and your sister were allies of my enemy”.

Willas froze next to her. The hall fell quiet. Daenerys seemed to be the only one unaffected by the situation as she continued nonchalantly:

“You understand that I cannot let things stand quite the way they are, I am sure, Lord Tyrell. You are also a lord over bannermen and understand that when one of them fights against you, there should be some consequence, otherwise they may all get the impression that it is alright to do so.”

After a long pause in which the tension in the room grew too thick for Sansa’s liking, Daenerys continued:

“However, I have taken into consideration the fact that you are married to my husband’s cousin and, also, the fact that the decisions that led to your house being allied to my enemies were not yours. I do not feel it is fair to punish you for your father’s actions. The consequences will be suffered by the people who brought them on.”

Willas’ eyes grew wide and he interjected:

“Your Grace, while I appreciate your assurances, I must emphasize that my father and sister did what they thought was right for the Reach under the circumstances we were in. As a ruler, I am sure you understand, that sometimes we need to make decisions we do not like for the sake of the people we are ruling. House Tyrell was loyal to House Targaryen for years after Robert Baratheon came to the throne and has paid dearly for it. Our people paid that price with us. I am sure you understand that after many years of paying the price of loyalty, my father had to make some hard choices. He did what he thought was right. At the time he did it, Westeros did not even know you were still alive.”

Willas’ leg started shaking and Sansa laid a calming hand on it. He threw her a panicked look.

“Lord Tyrell, your defense of your father does you credit. I am well aware of the situation House Tyrell was in when the War of the Five King erupted, and I can understand the choices your house made. That means I can offer clemency, but I cannot offer complete forgiveness. If I let this stand as it is, I will only encourage rebellion.”

Willas’ mouth tightened but he did not reply.

“My Lord, you can relax. No one in your family will die. The Usurper King Tommen has already been declared a bastard, a product of an incestuous relationship between his mother and her brother, the Kingslayer. Your sister was married to him, despite the fact that this was known even at the time. As such, I consider this a marriage done in full knowledge of the facts, and the marriage will not be annulled. As a result of the fall of House Lannister, my Hand has inherited Casterly Rock and has offered to keep his nephew and your sister there under his protection. I am inclined to accept this offer.”

A long pause.

“As for your lord father…”

Willas breathed in.

“He will live. But he will no longer be Lord of Highgarden.”

Everybody in the room had a reaction, even Jon, which showed to Sansa that this had not been discussed in advance.

“As of today, Lord Willas, you are the Lord of Highgarden, with everything that entails. Your family, with the exception of your sister, will be allowed to come home, but they will be your responsibility. You will ensure that your family does not plot against me. And if that fails, my inclination for mercy may pass.”

For the first time since she had started talking, Daenerys’ tone turned harsh.

“Your Grace…” Willas started.

“*I* will explain this situation to your Lord father, Lord Tyrell. I assure you that I will do my best for this to not turn into a family conflict. But my decision stands.”

***

Willas was walking around their solar like a lion in a cage. It looked like he had forgotten he had a bad leg and a cane on which he had to support his weight.

Sansa sat down watching him, wishing there was something she could do to calm him down.

“I understand that he made some unfortunate decisions, and I was among those to disagree with him, but this… this is not done.”

“She considers this mercy, Willas. As far as I understood, the alternative she had in mind was cutting his head.”

“This will put a wedge between me and my father for the rest of our lives. And I have always been his least favourite son.”

“I…” Sansa was going to say that it was not true, but in truth, she knew that it was.

He finally sat down next to her.

“I am sorry; I do not mean to take this out on you.”

“It is part of my role as your spouse to be by your side in times like this.”

He chuckled.

“Sansa…” he started but seemed to change his mind. He put his elbows on his knees and supported his head on his hands. Sansa instinctually put her hand on his shoulder. He reacted by slowly turning his head towards her.

“The result of Daenerys’ decision may test out your resolve to stay in Highgarden.”

“I am sure it will be trying… but I still want to stay.”

“Some who know you less may put this on you. Your desire to be Lady of the Reach and your influence on your cousin.”

“Had I wanted to scheme in that direction, wouldn’t it have been easier just to have your father’s head cut off?”

Willas laughed and some of the tension seemed to leave his shoulders. 

“Well, what’s done is done; there is nothing I can do about it anymore. I suppose it could have been a lot worse for everyone involved.”

“The Queen is not unreasonable. Remember that she came here with a different plan altogether and she allowed us to change her mind.”

“By *us* you mean *you*. She allowed *you* to change your cousin’s mind, and he changed hers. What did you say to him exactly?”

“The truth.”

“And what is the truth?”

“The truth is that in the world we live in, we all will fight for our interests. Your interests then and now are to be married to me. Luckily, you are one of the few men in the world that still follow some moral guidelines while pursuing your interests. I came to you after years of being shown that most men are not like that and therefore, am able to appreciate this at its just value.”

She wanted to say more, a lot more. However, she also wanted him to say more in return and was not sure that would happen.

‘One step at a time’ her inner voice whispered.

She turned to him and smiled:

“Therefore, our interests are still aligned.”

He was watching her curiously and with an almost invisible quirk of his mouth.

“If it makes any difference to you” he said after a while, “my interest in staying married to you is not just about the North inheritance, or the safety of my family. Although I would lie if I said that those aspects were not in the back of my mind from the beginning or if I said that they left my mind in the meantime.” Willas continued after a short pause: “You are a good Lady of the Reach and I am sure you will continue to be so. And you have fulfilled all expectations I might have had in a spouse, beyond those of a good lineage.”

Sansa blushed.

“I have not provided you with an heir.”

The tips of his ears turned red and he turned to look away from her.

“Yes, well, it seems the fault for that was decidedly mine.”

She should have done more to lure him to her bed. She knew that that was part of her job as a wife, less than it was his job to come there.

“Don’t worry about that anymore, Sansa. We are now aligned on that subject too.” he said with a smile.


	6. In which Willas gets angry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing the chapter with the definite intention of ending this story. I am extremely busy still, don't know when I will have time to update, so I thought it would be best if I closed it.
> 
> It did not quite work out that way. As the words started coming to me, I realized I was not going to get it done tonight.
> 
> Here's hoping it won't take as long for the next update to pop.

For Willas, his first meeting with his soon-to-be wife had been a conflicting experience. 

She was absolutely beautiful. But, regardless of how his grandmother kept insisting that she had flowered, she was obviously in many ways still a child. The fact that he couldn’t help notice her beauty was making him feel uncomfortable.

She was obviously vulnerable. But she was, without realizing, an important player in the Game of Thrones, as an obvious heir to her brother. She had to be treated with care, yet reverence.

She was scared. That made him feel uncomfortable for taking advantage of her. And yet, considering what she had gotten out of, she was obviously in a better position with him than she had ever been in King’s Landing. She wasn’t without advantages in this match. 

It didn’t take long to realize she was clever. She was shy, which meant that, at least at the beginning, she did not express her opinions very often. But when she started to, her opinions were always of consequence. He realized pretty soon that, beyond her lineage and beauty, she would make a worthy wife. From that moment on, he started passing more and more responsibility to her, sometimes even in decisions that usually belonged to the Lord. She never disappointed.

His decision to not consummate the marriage had been, initially, out of self-respect. He knew he couldn’t live with himself if he violated a child – and he couldn’t think of the act in any other terms considering her age and state of mind. When he communicated that decision to her, her reaction was of obvious relief and that just confirmed to him that he had been right. 

Years later, as she grew into a beautiful woman who assisted him in running the Reach, who showed maturity in her decisions and never once showed herself to be anything other than worthy of the role she was playing in his life and the life of her (for all intents and purposes) subjects, the thought of consummation was always in the back of his mind. She was no longer a child. She was no longer scared. He knew for sure that she would have had no qualms turning him down if his advances were unwelcome. 

And yet he kept on waiting, because he wanted those advances to be accepted for the right reasons, not just for the political aspect of “we need an heir and this is what is required of us” – which as the daughter of a political marriage herself, he was sure she was aware of.

And now, lying with her, at her request no less, he still was not sure whether or not her reasons had been anything other than political. It was even more important, now that he had become Lord in name, not just in practice. And he understood her aversion to being married off to an unknown prince again, considering how her last experience of the sort had been. Her decision to make their marriage unbreakable was understandable from that perspective. He could see how, even if her new marriage to the heir to the Throne would have looked better for a person like his sister, it was scarier for Sansa a person, and why she would decide to stay in a role that, although slightly inferior, was considerably safer.

He wished it did not make as much sense as it did, from a cold-blooded perspective. He wished her decision to lay with him made no sense from a political and personal perspective and therefore could only be explained by passion.

Because Willas, despite his own qualms, despite the fact that he was the least passionate and most cerebral Tyrell, had managed to fall in love with his wife. It had snuck up on him and by the time he was aware of what was happening, he was already in too deep to go back. He had started by being ashamed of himself (as at the time, she was still extremely young and vulnerable) and evolved to calmly accepting his fate. After all, there are worse fates out there than having a good wife. Even when you’re not sure how she feels about you.

He had known the second he read Margaery’s letter about losing King’s Landing to Sansa’s brother/cousin and his Targaryen betrothed, that the eyes of the winners would turn to the Tyrells and that his marriage, lacking heirs, was an obvious target. The result of that had turned out way better than expected. 

And yet, he was right back where he started. In a political marriage with a woman he loved far more than he thought he would, but whose feelings were uncertain. With the added bonus that they had consummated their marriage, which made his own feelings even more difficult to hide. 

Her body moved next to him and he sighed. His family was meant to arrive any day now. It would make for an awkward conversation. His father’s single letter to him since Queen Daenerys’ visit had been unclear to him. He was not sure if his father was grateful to be alive or angry to have lost his position as Lord. He was not sure if he was getting any blame from his family for having been elevated at their expense.

His mind was not letting his tired body fall asleep. He felt more alone than ever. Margaery was exiled in Casterly Rock. Even though she was not Queen anymore, Loras was still Kingsguard. Garlan had been at Bridgewater Keep and, while on his way, was still not in Highgarden. There was no-one he could truly talk to. 

“Are you alright, milord?”

Sansa’s voice was low, but still felt loud in the quiet night. He hated that she still called him “milord”. They were husband and wife. He had a name. He felt his blood boil. He got out of the bed and started limping around the room.

He hated his leg, although he knew that without his leg he would have been long married before Sansa even became eligible. They never would have married. Possibly never even met.

He hated that he had no-one to talk to.

He hated how much he wanted to talk to her.

Sansa got up and sat on the edge of the bed, using the blanket to cover herself. She had never been anything but an understanding wife, whenever he felt the need to discuss with her. Just that, up until now, what he needed to discuss with her was never about her. And now it was. He sat next to her, head in hands.

“This is an impossible situation I am in. I am Lord and yet my father is still alive. I am related by marriage to the new King, yet I am in disgrace. My sister is married to a bastard and will never be more than a minor noblewoman, despite having dreamed her whole life to be Queen. My brother is stuck in the Kingsguard, serving a queen who dethroned his sister.”

“We are still alive. We still have the Reach. So long as that is true, we still have a chance to rise up. Tyrion Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock. He is unmarried. He is the Hand of the new Queen. He has no heir, save his nephew, who can be legitimized as such. The Queen knows Tommen was too young to truly be guilty of his family’s betrayal. She is not a vengeful woman. Even adults, like your father, kept their heads.”

She was right, of course. And she obviously knew from personal experience that the situation could be a lot worse.

“Let us not forget also, milord, that my brother Bran, now Lord of Winterfell, will very likely not be able to sire a child. After him, I am the next in line. The Queen will probably not allow for the North AND the Reach to be ruled by the same person, and considering how far apart they are, it is not very realistic to hope that such a situation could be managed properly. But all we need is to have two children. Our oldest will inherit the Reach. Our youngest will inherit the North. Our family with rise. And without bloodshed.”

He had learnt through the years to appreciate her calm approach and sound advice. But this was not what he needed now. For the first time in his life as a rational, cerebral adult, he needed an emotional solution, rather than a rational one. Her rational solution to his problems was not what he needed, despite the fact that his less emotional side understood that it was the most sensible.

He had never understood Loras’ way of jumping where the battle was the thickest. Until now, when he felt that a fight to the death was what he needed to vent his frustrations.

He started pacing again, despite his leg throwing warnings at him with each step.

“Milord…”

“Willas.”

“Excuse me?”

“My name. My name is Willas. We are married. We have even consummated our marriage. I am, literally and metaphorically, naked in front of you. My name is Willas.”

There was a lot more anger in his words than she deserved, and he knew that. The situation they were in was not her fault. If anything, she had made it better – he was sure the Queen would not have been so forgiving if he hadn’t been married to her betrothed’s cousin/sister. He felt ashamed of himself. But the words poured out.

“Willas” she repeated calmly. 

Her calm was unnerving him. 

He needed to vent his frustration somehow and there was only one way available that was acceptable under the circumstances.

So he threw himself on the bed and pulled her on top of him.

She responded instantly. She did not reject him. She didn’t even passively accept him. She responded.

At the end of the most intense lovemaking he had ever experienced, Willas was more confused than ever.


	7. In which Garlan makes an appearance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garlan tries to piece things together

Garlan had always been the peacemaker in the Tyrell family. Not as impetuous as Loras or as ambitious as Margaery, less manipulative than his grandmother but also less easily influenced than his father, he had the perfect personality for the role and had assumed it early on.

Of course, there had never been a crisis quite at the level of this one. Leaving the Lord alive while taking his title and giving it to his eldest son was an unprecedented move in the history of the Seven Kingdoms, and the second he received the raven informing him of this, he knew he had to reach Highgarden before his father and be the peacemaker once more. The Tyrells were a family whose members were closer together than most among their ranks – but this situation was bound to create tension.

So here he was, alone with Willas in the immense Tyrell library, trying to gauge the situation. Willas was in a dark mood – that was painfully obvious – the kind Garlan had not seen since that unfortunate tournament, years before. The silence was of the awkward kind, quite unlike many they had experienced together.

He cleared his throat, but could not quite find the words. Willas looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Speak to me” Garlan finally dared to say.

“Honestly, Garlan, I do not know what to say. Our father is on his way and will be here any day now. And I do not know how I am meant to behave in this situation.”

“He is alive. Many in his situation have been less fortunate. And with less cause.”

“I am aware of this.”

“Our new Queen is merciful.”

Willas laughed a bitter laughter.

“Our Queen had come to Highgarden determined to strip our family of everything, including my wife, whom she was trying to hand off to Prince Aegon.”

Garlan’s eyes went wide.

“The reason our father is still alive, my brother, is the fact that Sansa refused to leave Highgarden. It would have made for an awkward move to decapitate the in-laws of the king consort. So a compromise was reached in which our family is brought to its downfall through internal strife rather than by the Queen’s execution order.”

“Are you sure that the Queen wishes our family’s downfall? The fact that she was willing to give in on the Sansa issue shows that she is not tyrannical. She could have easily forced the issue. She would not have been the first. And she would have had cause.”

“I think it was her betrothed that convinced her and his closeness to my wife.”

“I believe Leonette told me that Sansa said that she was never close to Jon back in Winterfell.”

“I think that the Starks were a close-knit family in the same vein that we are. Internal conflicts were possible, but not outside interference.”

“Well, if we are that kind of family, then we will get through this situation. You and father will argue but will not destroy the family with it.”

Willas rolled his eyes but Garlan knew that he had hit a spot.

“I honestly do not know what father feels about this. The raven announcing his arrival was extremely dry.”

“Well, what did you really expect, Willas? This is not really the kind of thing you write in a missive.”

Silence.

“So, how do YOU feel about this, brother?” Garlan pushed.

“I do not know. These last few weeks have been a whirlwind and I do not know how I feel about anything anymore.”

There was something that Willas needed to talk about, Garlan felt. But he didn’t know what it was, so he tried to probe different topics.

“How do you feel about being Lord of Highgarden?”

“Well, in essence, I have been that for a while. Just without the official title.”

“How does Sansa feel about it?”

A shade of something passed over Willas’ face, and Garlan felt like he was nearing the crux of the issue.

“I can’t speak for Sansa.” His brother answered non-committedly.

“What did she tell you?”

“Nothing. What was she supposed to say? That she is happy I was given my father’s title?”

“She did stand by you when the Queen wanted to take her away.”

“She doesn’t want to be moved around towards another political alliance to some unknown Prince. She has been through enough.”

“You think Jon S… Targaryen… would allow for his s…cousin to be married off to someone that would treat her badly?”

“Her father engaged her to Joffrey. And I am sure he cared about her. In situations like this, you don’t know until the marriage has happened.”

“…or she likes it here in Highgarden.” Garlan paused as Willas released an exasperated sigh. “With you.”

“I do not know if she likes it here in Highgarden… with me… as much as she’s scared of the unknown.”

The frustrated tone of his brother suggested to Garlan that this was an issue that actually preoccupied him.

“Have you tried asking her?”

“Not every question is answered properly when it is asked. Sansa wants to stay. Why does she want to stay? There is only one person that could tell you that and it is not me.”

“How do YOU feel about the fact that she wants to stay?”

Another exasperated sigh.

“Well it wouldn’t really look good for me if my wife ran away at first chance, would it? I am already a pathetic cripple, without her doing that.”

Just as Garlan wanted to probe further, one of the servants came looking for Willas. He was left alone in the library with more questions than ever.

He had never pried into Willas’ relationship with Sansa, but there had never been any reason to suspect that the marriage was an inconvenience to any of them. They always presented themselves as a united front whenever discussing with him, the bannermen or the servants. Yet, Willas’ reaction to the issue seemed to suggest that there was something unresolved there. Therefore, he decided to try his luck with Sansa.

***

After much searching, he found Sansa in the Northern section of the greenhouses. She greeted him with a smile and asked him if he had settled in all right.

“I am quite fine, Sansa, thank you for asking.” He replied. “How are you dealing with all of this?”

Sansa shrugged but said nothing. “I am not the one who needs to be dealing with this. The whole weight is on Willas’ shoulder.”

“I would not quite agree with that. I understand the Queen was thinking about taking you away and marrying you to Prince Aegon.”

Sansa’s eyes went wide: “Willas told you about that?”

“Of course he did! Willas tells me everything.”

“Everything?”

He frowned: “OK, not quite everything. But most of it. I can sense that this topic is a bit of a frustration for you both.”

She seemed conflicted.

“I…” she mumbled. “This has been a hard time for Willas. He was quite sure Highgarden was lost for your family. This whole issue with your father…”

“…nearly losing you.”

“I… am not sure compared to the rest, this was… that important… besides the fact that I am now a relation of the Queen.”

“You think he wouldn’t have been affected by losing you? Regardless of your connection to the Queen?”

She threw him a tortured look and for the first time since he knew her, Garlan saw her crumble.

“I do not know, Garlan, he doesn’t talk to me about that! When the Queen announced she was coming, he summoned me and pretty much told me that if I want to leave, I am free to do so!”

“And you think that was because he doesn’t care if you stay or go?”

“Why else would it be?”

“Knowing Willas, I would say quite the opposite, Sansa.”

Her hands were shaking, he noticed.

“Sansa…” he put his palm on one of her hands. “My brother does not want to keep you here against your will. He is not that kind of man. Of course, it had to be your choice. That does not mean that he doesn’t care what that choice is.”

She swallowed heavily and, to Garlan’s shock, tears started rolling on her cheeks. Garlan awkwardly held her hand without saying anything further. She reminded him now of the scared girl he had met in King’s Landing, for whom he had fought passionately to save from Lannister clutches. He had believed then, and he had not stopped believing, that she and Willas were well suited. But he started to wonder if the two of them saw it as well as he did.


End file.
